Evaluating the Economic Impact of Cruise Tourism: A Case Study of Barbados

GREGORY CHASE* - ILAN ALON**
Maine Maritime Academy
Rollins College

ABSTRACT
The failure of the import substitution model for economic development has led many countries to look for alternative explanations. The success of export led development in South Korean, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong has resulted in some countries shifting their development to industries in which they have a comparative advantage, that is, export industries. Tourism is one export industry that developing nations, particularly Island economies, have a comparative advantage. Traditionally, the most important reason for developing a tourism industry is the expected macroeconomic benefits. With improvement in the balance of payments being the most important of those benefits. This study develops a model to evaluate the impact of cruise tourism on a destination and tests the model on the economy of Barbados.

Keywords: economic multipliers, cruise tourism, economic development, Barbados.


Travel Agencies' Perception of Higher Education Students as a Viable Market

TEKLE SHANKA* - RUTH TAYLOR**
*Curtin University of Technology
**Curtin University of Technology

ABSTRACT
With the rate of change exponentially affecting the global tourism industry, some sectors such as traditional travel agencies may need to re-define themselves, their product and service offerings and, in particular to re-identify their markets. An area exhibiting significant growth and tourism potential is that of the higher education student market. A research project was undertaken to investigate travel agencies' existing perceptions of university students (hereafter referred to as students) as a viable market. Results from this survey indicate that holiday/leisure travellers are the most significant markets (80%) for travel agencies, with the main products being consumed as international airfare/packaged tour bookings (66%). While the 35-49 year age group of customers contributes 56% for the travel agency business, the student market contribution to the business was less than 3%. Overall, the results indicate that both the current perceived significance of student markets and the potential significance of this market in the future is very low. Detailed analyses of results are discussed and implications are presented.

Keywords: travel agency, student market, market segment, repeat customers.

Defining Young Tourists Visiting Beach-Oriented Resorts: A Behavioural Analysis

NEIL CARR
The University of Queensland

ABSTRACT
This paper provides a chronological definition of young tourists visiting beach-oriented resorts based on behavioural patterns within the holiday environment. The study on which the paper is based took place in the beach-oriented resort of Cala Millor, on the northeast coast of the Spanish island of Mallorca. The need for this study is related to the lack of a universally agreed definition of the young tourist. The study found tourists between 16 and 24 years old were the most likely to behave in the passive/hedonistic manner that is generally associated with young tourists staying in beach-oriented destinations. In contrast, tourists aged 30-35 years old were less likely to behave in this manner. However, the overlap in behaviour between the sub-age groups and the differences within them suggests that chronological boundaries cannot be used in isolation to accurately define young tourists who take vacations in beach-oriented resorts.

Keywords: young tourists, behaviour, motives, Mallorca.

Cyprus' Exports: The Impact of Tourism

CRAIGWEBSTER
College of Tourism and Hotel Management

ABSTRACT
In this paper, the author explores the role of tourism as a stimulant for Cyprus' exports. Using an econometric model with 148 countries in a cross-section from 1997-1999, the author tests several hypotheses pertaining to export patterns for Cyprus. Tourism is one variable that seems to work to stimulate demand for Cypriot good abroad. In addition, state involvement, distance, and cultural similarity are some of the most consistent indicators explaining export patterns for Cyprus. Many interesting issues surround the trade of Cyprus , a country that has experienced a great deal of economic development in the past twenty years but remains economically dependent upon tourism and politically divided. Although tourism dominates the economy, no one has investigated the role of tourism in stimulating the export sector. This paper explores a number of interesting issues related to the political economy of Cyprus' exports, while focussing on the influence of tourism. An econometric model is used to explain the variation in levels of Cyprus' exports with 148 countries. Below is a short discussion of theoretical background linking tourism with exports for Cyprus followed by statistical tests and a conclusion regarding what has been learned.

Keywords: economic development, exports, Southern Cyprus.

Options in Tourism Development: Conscious versus Conventional Tourism

KONTANTINOS ANDRIOTIS

ABSTRACT
Development by its nature is a process of change that may be implemented in a variety of ways. As a result, tourist receiving destinations have a variety of options to follow in developing their tourism industry. These options concern mainly the process and/or funding of development, and include the following dichotomous alternatives: capital versus labour intensive; endogenous versus exogenous; small scale versus large; alternative versus mass and enclave versus spread out. It is the aim of this paper to discuss the five alternatives by undertaking a literature review to investigate the benefits and costs associated with each of them and providing guidelines for destination tourism development.

Keywords: development options, conventional tourism, conscious tourism.